The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-05-27

The following is from Emile billiards
sstieie in the Cosmopolitan on Life Be
meath the Crescent" Marriage receives
LARGELY more attention among the Turks
.hsn birth and death, and there is but
iitfIe efubarrassmentfr from the administra-
tive fornlaliiies that precede and accom-
many this solemn act in the West. There
are no bans. no announcements, no regis
trz1inns. A man obtains 4 wife just as he
would buy a bouquet; but neither the
buver nor the seller, nor the Intermediary,
asks for receipt. As II IS forbidden a
man to enter the harcm Of another (even
II he were q near relative Of the latter to
see a Young woman and talk with her,
there are No marriages for love and no
engagements. One father meets another
father. and says TO him: You have a
son and have a daughter. II the mother
II your son knows ms daughter, let us
strike : bargain; If she does not know
her. LEI them see each other. aud then let
- ,.i,sc up the business The conditioss-
arc discussed, the dowry hsggled over,
then all the arrangements between the
parents are made and the young people
introduced TO each other
Let Us add in passing, that among us
the marriages that are contracted IN the
great capitals Of Europe, especially in
Paris, do not depart far from this pro-
..rzInme. IN France. however, a man is
sill allowed 10 behold the object for the
acquisition Of which negotiations are in
progress. In Turkey this is forbidden {;
fhere. marriage is lottery indeed.
Turkish girls are promised usually when
they are very young, even at a tenderage,
when they are only three or four years
old. II the young bride should happen
o. die before her marriage, or be required
fer the sulfan's harem-for II may be pre-
missed that this is a case tina. breaks all
eusarenenis. and is esteemed as great
honor br faren1s-the intended husband
+ not expected 10 weep over what he
loses. for he mas never seen IT, When
the young girl reaches her twelfth or
thirteenth year, or somewhat later, her
fourteenth year. she receives the nuptial
blessing. and the husband cannot see
the face Of his wife until after the cere-
mony.
No woman, not even the wife, takes
part in the solenniiy Of marriage, which
3 Effected by proxy, delegated ioa uncle
~ 70 an elder brother. often with full
beard. xho PLAYS the role Of the bride.
The parents u the couple sign the con-
fract before the imam Of their quarter, in
fhe presenoe Of few friends, who act as
witnesses. The nupfisls are then oele-
bra;od By the families with ealmness
and gravity that would be as suitable for a
funeral ~ for a wedding.
The sexes never mingle at these festi-
walls. The rsen take their pleasure in ST.
Ieure IN their selamilx; the women, little
more noisily-if Is but natural-in the
hsrrrniik.
Il the wife Is too young or has deli
cate health, she i not entrusted to her
husband She is quickly shut up at her
maflirr's. o. Al her mofher-in-law's some
tines for more than year, until it shall
,iIenae the latter 10 re-unite her with her
husband. II even happens that the hus-
hand has had time 10 take n second wife
before receiving his first
II 3 not. however, always happiness
thar the Young wife finds in her new
siiuaiisn. where she is often obliged TO
share with companions, and even with
blaek and white slaves, the heart and the
a-fsufions Of her husband. How often
hsre the poor creatures exchanged their
maiden saclusion, a captivity that a
mother always knows how TO make pleas
ant. fer another seclusion more narrow,
more severe. often aggravated by the neg
leci 81 her husband, or BY the brutality
ard the had treatment Of detesfable
GUARDIAN